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Train Barefoot

THE TESTER

Mid-20s urbanite who likes to be up to speed on fitness trends

THE GOAL

Upgrade balance, speed, and leg strength. Training barefoot does that by activating all the muscles in your feet, which have atrophied since your mom swaddled them in your first pair of Keds, says Martin Rooney, C.S.C.S., chief operating officer and a trainer at the Parisi Speed School.

THE Rx

(1) Remove all barriers. The less material between your foot and the ground, the better, Rooney says. If flashing your feet isn't an option, Rooney suggests a barefoot-style shoe like the Adidas Adipure trainer ($90, shopadidas.com) or the New Balance MX20 ($85, newbalance.com/nb-minimus).

(2) Ease out of your shoes gradually. "You've been wearing shoes for decades, so two or three workouts aren't going to undo that," Rooney says. Start by walking or pacing barefoot at home 30 minutes a day for 4 weeks.

(4) Add some weight. After 8 weeks, start mixing in exercises like lunges, squats, and 40-yard sprints. If you feel any pain or discomfort, go back to barefoot calisthenics for another week or two.

THE VERDICT

"Rooney's rules worked: I made the transition with no pain. I also shaved nearly a tenth of a second off my 100-yard time and increased my squat max by 12 1/2 pounds. I still can't dunk, but I'm a convert."